Architecture’s most distinguished award just went to a relatively unknown firm from Catalonia. The Pritzker Prize recipients Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, and Ramon Vilalta from RCR Arquitectes have completed few projects outside of northeast Spain , but their elegant work emphasizing the environment has gained global attention. The trio started their firm in Olot, Catalonia in 1988. They’ve designed projects as diverse as an athletics track to a kindergarten. Pritzker jury chair Glenn Murcutt, an Australian architect, said of RCR Arquitectes, “They’ve demonstrated that unity of a material can lend such incredible strength and simplicity to a building. The collaboration of these three architects produces uncompromising architecture of a poetic level, representing timeless work that reflects great respect for the past, while projecting clarity that is of the present and future.” Related: 2016 Pritzker Prize awarded to Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena The firm emphasizes structures that will last. They eschew trends in favor of well-done construction. They’re known for taking care to fit structures in beautifully with surrounding nature. They sometimes will design custom furniture for the buildings, finding it hard to find other furniture that fits their vision. There are even rumors they ask clients to sign contracts saying they won’t change the buildings since they constructed so precisely. Many of RCR Arquitectes’ projects can be found in Catalonia, although they have also designed a museum and art center in France. Recycled steel or plastic are often among the building materials they utilize. Their Tossols-Basil Athletics Track in Girona, Spain winds through oak forest clearings, deftly avoiding trees, and is green to match the natural surroundings. A sloped pathway takes visitors down to their Bell-Lloc Winery, also in Girona, beneath a roof of recycled steel. The dark interior, broken up by light streaming through slots in the roof, provides visitors with a new perspective on winemaking. Their El Petit Comte Kindergarten lacks conventional walls; instead, colorful plastic tubes let light filter playfully through. Some are solid and others can be turned, allowing children to interact and play with the building itself. Even RCR Arquitectes’ office provides a glimpse into their unique design. They converted an old 20th century foundry, preserving older features of the building like crumbling walls while adding massive glass windows to flood the space with natural light. + RCR Arquitectes + Pritzker Prize Via Dezeen and The Guardian Images via Pritzker

The French government has announced it will use the Energy Transition Act, enacted in August 2015, to reject all future permit requests for searches for conventional hydrocarbons (by way of crude oil). A parliamentary debate that took place on Tuesday of this week has lifted the issue into the spotlight, prompting Segolene Royal, the country’s minister of ecology and energy, to explain why it is important to restrict new ventures. According to the minister, stopping new hydrocarbon searches is a logical response to the long-term energy consumption goals. Read the rest of France says ‘no’ to all new oil exploration permits

Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena , 48, has been named winner of architecture’s most prestigious award, the Pritzker Prize . The jury praised the architect for his dedication to public service, and his prolific body of work that includes low-cost social housing and post-disaster architecture . The jury commended the 41st Pritzker Prize laureate in a statement: “Alejandro Aravena epitomizes the revival of a more socially engaged architect, especially in his long-term commitment to tackling the global housing crisis and fighting for a better urban environment for all.” Read the rest of 2016 Pritzker Prize awarded to Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena

Comments Off on Koch brothers’ father built an oil refinery for the Nazis, says new book

A newly published book says the father of American billionaires Charles and David Koch helped to build an oil refinery in Germany that was approved by Adolf Hitler himself. “Dark Money” is a historical account of the Koch family fortune and its influence, among others, written by Jane Mayer. In it, the author illustrates the path of modern conservative activism as supported by a small group of rich donors. She digs back as far as the Koch family’s ties to the radical right-wing John Birch Society to show how rich conservatives built a foundation for anti-government (and often anti-environment and anti-people) strategies under the guise of philanthropy. Read the rest of Koch brothers’ father built an oil refinery for the Nazis, says new book

Comments Off on Help Kickstart Kalsada specialty coffee from the Philippines

Kalsada offers a new specialty coffee with a social mission to bring Philippine coffee to the international stage. The company, founded by three female entrepreneurs, work closely with farmers to produce the highest quality specialty coffee in the Philippines. Increased income and productivity on farms can mean a higher quality of life for coffee­-growing communities and a more sustainable Philippine coffee industry. You can help Kickstart the project and bring socially conscious Philippine-grown coffee to the world. + Kalsada Coffee Kickstarter Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: Carmel Kalsada , Kalsada , Kalsada coffee , Kalsada kickstarter coffee , Philippine coffee , socially conscious coffee , speciality origin coffee , specialty coffee , sustainable coffee